Skypirate's Hideaway

Show us a view of your workbench / work in progress and build reports too.
ShaunW
NOT the sheep
Posts: 26118
Joined: November 26th, 2011, 6:11 pm
Location: Pontefract West Yorkshire

Re: Skypirate's Hideaway

Post by ShaunW »

Great work with the Gnat seats and cockpit, David. A Thud two-seater - niiice!
Doing - Tamiya 1/35th Universal Carrier.

Work is the curse of the modelling classes!
IPMS#12300
User avatar
Clashcityrocker
Modelling Gent and Scholar
Posts: 10781
Joined: May 1st, 2011, 12:31 am
Location: Adelaide. South Australia

Re: Skypirate's Hideaway

Post by Clashcityrocker »

skypirate wrote:Have to be careful to put the right parts in the right model!
Cheers,
David
Could build a what-if Thundergnat :grin:

Nigel
User avatar
Stuart
Raider of the Lost Ark Royal
Posts: 19195
Joined: February 25th, 2013, 4:55 pm
Location: Forever England
Contact:

Re: Skypirate's Hideaway

Post by Stuart »

Superb work all around David, and some great subjects!

Your cutting mat still reminds me of Tron!
Stuart Templeton I may not be good but I'm slow...

My Blog: https://stuartsscalemodels.blogspot.com/
User avatar
skypirate
Modelling Gent and Scholar
Posts: 7241
Joined: May 1st, 2011, 6:13 am
Location: Port Macquarie, Australia

Re: Skypirate's Hideaway

Post by skypirate »

The Monogram 1/72 F-105F has leaped ahead of the pack.

Image

That cockpit came out much more colourful than I expected! But the detail is crying out to be highlighted. I toned down the prominent raised panel line detail. I thought that this was going to be an opportunity to practice my fledgling NMF skills but it turns out the aircraft is painted in a protective silver finish. Same with the RAF Gnat, I believe.

Image

These Monogram models are scaled down versions of their 1/48 brethren so the level of detail is high (though the slimline bombs with fuse extenders look like they were designed for some other pylons than the ones in the kit). But there is a lot of flash to remove, and cleaning up to do before painting.

Another Republic product and the Gnat are also progressing.

Image

I found that the 1/72 Gnat required quite a bit of thinning and fettling here and there to achieve an acceptable fit. I am a bit nervous of the silver/dayglo finish this one is heading for!

Thanks for looking,

David
ShaunW
NOT the sheep
Posts: 26118
Joined: November 26th, 2011, 6:11 pm
Location: Pontefract West Yorkshire

Re: Skypirate's Hideaway

Post by ShaunW »

The detail in that F-105 cockpit is certainly very good, David, especially considering that it is a classic kit and has popped out nicely under paint. Preserving the raised panel lines whenever possible is a good thing and enhances the classic appearance of the finished model, IMHO, although I can appreciate why others prefer to re-scribe.
Doing - Tamiya 1/35th Universal Carrier.

Work is the curse of the modelling classes!
IPMS#12300
User avatar
Stuart
Raider of the Lost Ark Royal
Posts: 19195
Joined: February 25th, 2013, 4:55 pm
Location: Forever England
Contact:

Re: Skypirate's Hideaway

Post by Stuart »

ShaunW wrote:The detail in that F-105 cockpit is certainly very good, David, especially considering that it is a classic kit and has popped out nicely under paint. Preserving the raised panel lines whenever possible is a good thing and enhances the classic appearance of the finished model, IMHO, although I can appreciate why others prefer to re-scribe.
I agree with that Shaun - I always prefer to keep them.

Those are some really nice looking builds David, that Thud is looking great.

I remember the Gnat being a bit of a tight fit - The intakes were the worst IIRC.
Stuart Templeton I may not be good but I'm slow...

My Blog: https://stuartsscalemodels.blogspot.com/
User avatar
skypirate
Modelling Gent and Scholar
Posts: 7241
Joined: May 1st, 2011, 6:13 am
Location: Port Macquarie, Australia

Re: Skypirate's Hideaway

Post by skypirate »

Thanks, guys.
The Monogram F-105F is actually the F-105G model without the fuselage side blisters. So for an early-model F, quite a few other G-model bumps have to be removed. I first checked that the Monogram kit decals are useful (and they appear to be so), otherwise I could leave those bumps on for a late-model F and Microscale decals that I have. My early-model F will be finished in silver, using kit decals and carrying no external stores except for the wing tanks (the 105 has an internal bomb bay). I have a Trumpeter 105D destined for wrap-around camo, and a 1/48 G which will have regular SEA camo.

Meanwhile the Airfix VC10 wings and tailplane are joined to the fuselage at last. I see that the twin-engine pods on each side are unusually moulded so that looking in one intake you can see through to the other engine face! There is a little triangular window in the intake shrouds between the two engines! I suspect that I will have to carve a piece of styrene block to fill those gaps, and it will be nigh on impossible to hide the joins (and I suppose that is why you can buy resin aftermarket engine assemblies). At least it will remove the see-through effect.

What fun!

David
shangos70
Modelling Gent and Scholar
Posts: 4418
Joined: May 1st, 2011, 11:14 am
Location: Doncaster, Socialist Republic of South Yorkshire.

Re: Skypirate's Hideaway

Post by shangos70 »

Cracking work going on in here. Love have done with the Gnat and Thud cockpits. I notice the Thud is from a Tour Of Duty boxing, I used to love that show. I have an Airfix F-105G, lots of raised detail on that one but I expect it won't got together as well as the Mongram one.
User avatar
skypirate
Modelling Gent and Scholar
Posts: 7241
Joined: May 1st, 2011, 6:13 am
Location: Port Macquarie, Australia

Re: Skypirate's Hideaway

Post by skypirate »

shangos70 wrote:I have an Airfix F-105G, lots of raised detail on that one but I expect it won't got together as well as the Mongram one.
I have not built the Airfix F-105G (or even seen it in the flesh) but the nose is too full and rounded. You will probably have to live with it - too awkward to remedy, I expect.

I was surprised to find wonderfully clean joins on the Airfix VC10 wings-to-fuselage. Hardly any filler required. Very good for an ancient kit. But after all that was put together, the fin was leaning a couple of degrees to starboard! Aaargh! It looked wonky. I simply grabbed the fin firmly and bent it in the desired direction, with both eyes closed, and praying fervently.
It seems to have worked! Some stress showing in the plastic of the rudder, but no other ill effects.
Onward ho!

The F-105F has been airbrushed with Testors enamel silver. It was the only silver I had that was not an aluminium shade or some kind of metallic sheen. Let's hope it looks ok with some post-shading, then a coat of Pledge before decals.

cheers,

David
Listening today: Sheryl Crow, soundtrack from 'Until the End of the World'.
User avatar
skypirate
Modelling Gent and Scholar
Posts: 7241
Joined: May 1st, 2011, 6:13 am
Location: Port Macquarie, Australia

Re: Skypirate's Hideaway

Post by skypirate »

Back home from a weekend away to attend a Status Quo concert. I have been a fan for a long time; never seen them on stage, and there is only one original band member left.
They put on the usual good show. I can tick that one off my bucket list.

Here is an early stage in the Monogram 1/72 F-105F painting.

Image

Since then it has taken 2 brush coats of Pledge, a wash in the control surface panel lines, another brush coat of Pledge, and now the kit decals are going on, starting with the awkward ones around the wheel wells. The kit decals are performing OK. (I once had a terrible curling problem with Monogram decals).

Image

The other three models on the bench are waiting their turn.

Thanks for looking,

David
User avatar
skypirate
Modelling Gent and Scholar
Posts: 7241
Joined: May 1st, 2011, 6:13 am
Location: Port Macquarie, Australia

Re: Skypirate's Hideaway

Post by skypirate »

Spoke too soon.
The diagonal stripes on the fin would not settle into the rudder lines. So I tried Mr Mark Setter. Still no luck! Went back to Micro Set and that elicited a reaction whereby the decal wrinkled and softened to an extent that I cannot smooth out. I suppose I should not have dared mix the chemicals. Looks like I will have to strip off these colourful stripes and substitute with TAC markings. In any case I have now found a picture of an aircraft in these markings at the 1965 Paris Air Show and the stripe colours and angle are a bit different.

Grrrr,

David
User avatar
iggie
Modelling Gent and Scholar
Posts: 23360
Joined: July 31st, 2013, 11:04 am
Location: North Somercotes, Lincolnshire
Contact:

Re: Skypirate's Hideaway

Post by iggie »

Perhaps a lucky omen that they refused to settle!
Best wishes

Jim
If you can walk away from a landing, it's a good landing. If you use the airplane the next day, it's an outstanding landing
"Never put off till tomorrow, what you can do the day after tomorrow"
ShaunW
NOT the sheep
Posts: 26118
Joined: November 26th, 2011, 6:11 pm
Location: Pontefract West Yorkshire

Re: Skypirate's Hideaway

Post by ShaunW »

The Thud is coming along well David. Under wing markings that span undercarriage bay doors can be a bit fiddly to say the least if the gear is being displayed in the down position and you've done well with those. Shame that the other decals didn't behave themselves quite so well.
Doing - Tamiya 1/35th Universal Carrier.

Work is the curse of the modelling classes!
IPMS#12300
User avatar
Softscience
Staring out the window
Posts: 7380
Joined: April 5th, 2011, 4:34 pm
Location: Maryland, near Washington DC

Re: Skypirate's Hideaway

Post by Softscience »

Holy cow, David! You're zooming along on that F-105. I have that kit in my stash (the G version). Any gotchas to know about?
User avatar
skypirate
Modelling Gent and Scholar
Posts: 7241
Joined: May 1st, 2011, 6:13 am
Location: Port Macquarie, Australia

Re: Skypirate's Hideaway

Post by skypirate »

Softscience wrote:Any gotchas to know about?
Hi Ralph,
The F kit is made from the G moulds without the fuselage-side blisters. To do an early F you have to remove many ECM blisters on the wingtips and fin, and the undernose camera, and do not install the ram air scoops on the side of the rear fuselage.
(For the nitpickers the cockpit is also a G cockpit).
Also probably best to avoid the old kit decals.
Otherwise it is a neat kit. I wish I had more in the stash.

Cheers,

David
Post Reply

Return to “Workbench Window”